


Carry Your Name

by iBravery



Category: SHINee
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-12-03
Updated: 2012-12-03
Packaged: 2017-11-20 05:04:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/581591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iBravery/pseuds/iBravery
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Minho stopped dead in his tracks, silently watching as Taemin was being wheeled away from him and into an ambulance. Critical condition? Faint pulse? Taemin is dying...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“I love Okinawa,” Key exclaimed, flailing his arms around wildly as he did so and being reprimanded by their stylist.

Currently, the members of SHINee were getting prepped for their concert that was about to happen in just few moments. Okinawa was their last stop on their Japan tour, before they headed off to China to tour around there.

“Calm down,” Jonghyun muttered while a stylist was placing light makeup on his face. “If you get too hyper before the concert, you won’t have any energy later.”

Key tried to fight the blush that formed on his cheeks, but lost the battle when he chanced a glance at his boyfriend through on of the mirrors. Jonghyun was staring straight at Key through his mirror, smirking sexily at him.

Key turned his head forward to watch his stylist work on his hair just as Onew stepped into the conversation. “I know you guys haven’t done it in a while due to the rules, but tone it down. Aish, disgusting.”

“Onew, you’re just mad because your girlfriend wants to wait,” Key smirked at their leader, watching as Onew changed from a serious expression to a shocked one.

“How did you–“

“I know everything,” Key interrupted, throwing his hand in the air and twirling it in a sassy manor earning a chuckle from everyone in the room except for the youngest.

Taemin had tried to laugh, but when he let a chuckle out his lower abdomen erupted in fire of pain, causing his smile to turn in a grimace – not realizing he had let out a small whine.

“Are you feeling unwell,” Minho asked, placing his hand on the small boys shoulders. “I’m fine,” Taemin smiled up at Minho, who only looked at him worriedly.

Minho had pretended not to notice, but he knew Taemin was sick. It started with small headaches during dance practice, frequent bathroom visits during CD signings, constant “water breaks” during photo shoots, until he seemed to have all these symptoms and more all the time.

Minho was going to say something when he was interrupted by their manager, who burst into the door clapping his hands together enthusiastically. “Alright, let’s put on a great show for Okinawa,” he cheered and patted each of the group members on the back as all five of them filed out of the dressing room and to the stage curtain.

Screaming from their fans could be heard everywhere around them. Placing in his ear buds, Minho looked at Taemin, who had his back turned to the rest of the group, but Minho could see his back tensing.

He was about to walk up to the younger and ask again if he was feeling well, but Key walked in front of him to get to Jonghyun. Minho watched as Key placed a small kiss on the others lips, before putting up a façade, the pair acting like they were just best friends and not secretly dating.

When Key and Jonghyun first came out, their manager thought it was best to keep it a secret from the public as a safety precaution for the two and to keep their fans that would be judgmental and turn their nose.

“Go, go, go,” Onew ushered the group out of the backstage area and onto the center stage, erupting a roar from the crowd.

“Hello, Okinawa,” Key smiled and waved the crowd brightly. “I’m Key,” he introduced himself, before continuing with the rest of the members. “This Onew, Jonghyun, Taemin, and Minho.”

“And we are,” Key paused dramatically, waiting for the lights to dim down to pitch darkness. “SHINee,” all the members stated just as fireworks went off to the left and right.

Automatically, the group of five went into their first song – Lucifer – and Taemin found it hard to keep up with the dance moves, staggering every now and then but catching himself and continuing.

As they got to the last line of the song, Taemin felt himself get lightheaded, and he had to catch himself from falling straight into Jonghyun, who thankfully took a step back to avoid getting stepped on.

“Taemin,” Minho questioned, looking at their maknae who was huffing his breath – sweat already covering his forehead – bending over with his hands on his knees to try to brace himself steady. As his name was spoken, Taemin looked up at the other.

“Are you sure – Taemin,” Minho started question, but shouted out at the end when the younger fell forward. Running for him, Minho caught Taemin in his arms while Key looked at the boys in shock. “What is wrong with my baby,” he shouted in question.

The crowd gasped and started filling the large building with murmurs as they watched the scene in front of them.

“Get the manager,” Onew said to Jonghyun, who immediately followed their leaders orders and ran to their manager who was already running up to the stage as he had been watching the scene from backstage.

Minho looked at the boy in his worriedly – is he going to be okay, he wondered to himself as he watched the manager shake his head after placing his hand on Taemin’s forehead. “He’s burning up – quick, get him backstage,” the manager ordered.

With a nod of his head, Minho lifted the small male and followed their manager back into the dressing room. “Lay him there and while we wait for the medics,” the manager said, pointing at the small couch. Nodding again, Minho placed Taemin on the couch.

Once Minho laid Taemin on the couch, trying to make it to where it would be somewhat comfortable for the boy – even if he was unconscious – he brushed Taemin’s bangs out of his face, his fingers accidentally brushing his forehead.

“Aish – he’s burning up,” he muttered, snatching his hand away from the youngers forehead.

“We’ll have to refund the tickets,” the manager explained to the group about the concert that they were supposed to be doing at the moment, but none of them were paying any attention – only nodding numbly – and had focused on the small boy laying on the couch.

“My baby,” Key whimpered – he looked so fragile and sick, curled up into a ball, his skin paler than usual, a sheen a sweat covering his body, and the involuntary shivers and twitches his body would do made everyone flinch every time one happened.

Soon enough, the medics arrived, bursting through the door and pushing everyone out of the way. After a quick evaluation – but it seemed like forever to the other four members – the medics had Taemin laid out on a gurney, wheeling him away, talking quickly in Japanese and Minho couldn’t catch what they were saying.

“Wait – where are you taking him,” Minho asked, trying to stop the medics from taking Taemin away but was stopped by their manager. “To the hospital – they said he’s in critical condition and his pulse is faint.”

Minho stopped dead in his tracks, silently watching as Taemin was being wheeled away from him and into an ambulance.

Critical condition? Faint pulse? Taemin is dying, Minho’s thoughts raced. “Taemin,” he whispered just as the ambulance closed its doors and drove off to the nearest hospital.


	2. Chapter 2

Minho ran into the hospital as fast as his legs could let him. As soon as his manager had told him where Taemin was being treated at, Minho ran to his car and sped his way – possibly making a few illegal turns – to the hospital.

“Excuse me,” he said, interrupting one of the nurses at the station. Looking up from the monitor she was updating her files on, the nurse smiled at Minho. “Hello, what can I do for you?”

“I’m looking for Lee Taemin’s room – could you direct me to it,” he asked, almost impatiently, bouncing on the balls of his feet. He needed to make sure the younger was okay.

“Give me one second,” she smiled, quickly looking for the room Minho had requested. “Ah, he’s in room 426 – but you might want to speak with the nurses on that floor before you see him,” she said with a small smile.

Nodding, Minho ran for the elevator, pressing the buttons as fast as he could, and boarding the elevator when it got to his current floor.

As soon as he stepped in, Minho’s cell phone rang softly, indicating he had a text message. Checking it at the same time, he pressed the button for the fourth floor, and waited for his ascend.

It was Onew letting him know that the rest of them would be at the hospital in an hour as they got stuck in traffic. Choosing not to answer back, Minho tilted his head back and let it rest against the elevator wall.

Minho had originally planned to tell Taemin of his feelings – they had been growing for over the past two years. For the first year, Minho had tried to push the feelings away and not let it get in the way of their friendship but then that happened and since then, it’s been hell for Minho to forget.

A moment later, Minho was on the fourth floor. He hopped out of the elevator and practically ran to the nurses’ station. “Lee Taemin,” he asked a blonde nurse.

“Ah,” she said as she flipped through paperwork. “Yes, room 426 – however, the doctor is checking on him right now. If you would like, please wait in the waiting room over there,” she explained, pointing behind Minho to a large waiting room that was, thankfully, empty.

Nodding, Minho walked into the waiting room and sat in one of the chairs. Looking around, the hospital was plain – nothing all that special, save for the large screen TV that was broadcasting the local news. There were white and beige chairs scattered around the room in a square, circling around a long, light brown coffee table with numerous magazines neatly stacked. The walls were an off-white color, neatly tidying the room together.

Minho’s cell phone vibrated again, and when he pulled it out he saw that it was a text from Key this time. Where is my baby, was written.

Quickly typing out the room number and sending the text, Minho relaxed and let his head fall back once more. Sighing deeply, Minho hoped that Taemin wasn’t sick with anything serious – maybe he could still salvage the night, all though asking the younger to be his boyfriend in a hospital after passing out in front of thousands of fans isn’t the most romantic thing.

Oh, fuck it, Minho thought. He really liked the boy – who cares if it’s romantic or not?

Just then a young doctor entered the room. “Lee Taemin,” he asked Minho. “Ah, yes,” Minho answered, standing up a little too fast, making him dizzy.

“Slow down there,” the doctor reprimanded, helping Minho stand still with a hand on his shoulder. When Minho could see clearly, he looked straight at the doctor. He looked pretty young for a doctor – dark brown eyes, neatly cropped brown hair that was styled to look like he had just got out of the shower, and a few smile lines.

“He is stable – and you may visit him, however…” the doctor trailed off. “However?”

Clearing his throat, the doctor continued. “However, we found out what made him sick. We are waiting for a few more test results to make absolutely sure, but we should have the results within the hour.”

“Can I go see him?”

“Yes – he should wake soon, but don’t force him to wake up,” the doctor smiled down at Minho and moved out of his way so Minho could walk down the hallway and into Taemin’s room.

Room 410… room 415… room 420… ah – room 426, Minho thought to himself, arriving in front of the youngers hospital room. Taking a deep breath, Minho pushed the door open and walked in.

As soon as he walked in, Minho saw Taemin laying on his back quietly. He looked to still be asleep, his long hair splayed across his face and pillow, and he was already dressed in a hospital gown. The hospital room was much decorated like the waiting room, only the TV in here was mounted onto a wall, there were machines everywhere, and a large glass window covered the other side of the room but a beige curtain with white square patterns covered the view of the city they were in.

Pulling a chair up to the hospital bed, Minho hesitated for a moment before he grabbed the small hand in his own – holding onto it like it was his lifeline.

“Taemin,” he whispered, gently placing his head on the others palm, still holding onto it tightly. “I promise when you wake up, I’ll tell you everything – how I feel, what happened that night, why I was like I was, everything,” he mumbled to himself.

“Promise,” he heard a weak voice ask. Whipping his head up, Minho saw Taemin’s eyes open up slightly, reveling those irises he adored so much.

Smiling widely, Minho replied, “promise.”

“Then begin,” Taemin said, trying to turn on his side with his free hand that Minho wasn’t holding – but he winced when his stomach hit the mattress.

“Taemin,” Minho asked in worry, but the other waved him off and told him to start explaining everything.

Grinning, Minho decided to start from the thing he wanted to tell him most. “Minnie – Taemin, I want to start off with what I wanted to tell you most.”

Minho blushed slightly. “I actually planned on taking you out to that restaurant you love so much here in Okinawa and telling you – but,” he said with a grimace, looking around the hospital scene. “This will have to do.”

Tightening his grip on the other’s hand, Minho glanced Taemin who was staring at him as if his whole world was right in front of him. “Tae, I like you,” he rushed out, before taking in another breath and continuing.

“This past year, it’s been hell to forget and push aside these feelings ever since what happened that night – and, well, I’ve decided, I don’t want to forget. I don’t want to push these feelings aside. That would be forgetting you, and pushing you aside.”

Minho glanced up at Taemin again – his eyes were still fixated on him. “Taemin, will you go out with me? Will you be my boyfriend?”

Smiling widely, Taemin linked their fingers together with the hand that Minho was already holding. “It’s about time, Frog,” Taemin joked, but nodded his head. “Yes, I will.”

Grinning, Minho was about to place a kiss on the others lips when the doctor suddenly walked in. “Excuse me,” he said with a blush, noticing the close proximity of both of their faces.

Clearing his throat, Taemin sat back with a blush staining his cheeks. “Sorry,” he murmured, looking at Minho who sat back in his own chair, but still holding onto Taemin’s hand.

“I thought you would like to know the results of the test we ran,” the doctor continued, fully walking into the hospital room and closing the door behind him and walking up to the couple.

“Ah, yes,” Taemin nodded, waiting for the doctor to continue.

“It seems that, after quite a few tests, that we’ve been able to figure out what caused you to pass out,” the doctor said, flipping through a folder filled with papers. Minho assumed them to be Taemin’s files. “Taemin, have you ever been treated for stomach cancer?”


	3. Chapter 3

The room was dead silent as the news sunk in. Minho glanced at the boy on the hospital bed when the doctor cleared his throat, drawing his attention back.

“Cancer,” Minho asked. “How bad is it?”

“From what we can tell, it’s in the early stages. With treatment, Mr. Lee should survive.” Survive. Minho didn’t like the way it sounded.

“We don’t, however, know what type of cancer it is yet. We’ll be able to tell later on in the night.” Minho nodded. “Since Mr. Lee lives in Korea, we will be discharging him tomorrow and send him to a cancer treatment center in Seoul.”

“Tomorrow, why can’t you let him go tonight?”

“It’s protocol – we have to keep him overnight for observation,” the doctor explained. “I’ll be back later to check up on him.”

Nodding, Minho looked at Taemin who stayed silent throughout the whole conversation. His eyes were fixated at the corner of the hospital room. “Taemin,” Minho waved a hand in front of the others face to snap him out of whatever trance he was in.

Blinking, Taemin turned his attention to the other just as the doctor left, softly closing the door behind him. His eyes were red and tears brimmed the corners. “C-c-cancer,” he stuttered out.

Swallowing thickly, Minho nodded, gripping the others hand with his own. “I’m going to… die,” Taemin whispered.

“No, baby,” Minho denied quickly. Getting out of the chair and climbing into the bed with Taemin, Minho wrapped the younger in his arms.

Laying his head on Minho’s chest, Taemin shook his head. “I’m going to die – everyone that gets cancer dies,” his head clutched at Minho shirt, a few tears slipping out.

“Baby,” Minho said, grabbing Taemin’s chin to look up at him. “I promise you, you’re not going anywhere.”

As to prove his point, Minho leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on Taemin’s smooth lips, who kissed back earnestly, needing the bit of comfort the other provided.

Sighing, Minho pulled back, kissing Taemin’s forehead. Smiling slightly, the younger laid his head back on Minho’s chest.

“Don’t leave me, okay?” Minho grinned. “Never,” he answered.

 

It was an hour later, while Taemin was sleeping, that the others finally arrived. Key burst into the room loudly, “what is wrong with my baby?”

Minho ‘shh’ed the blonde, and quietly – without trying to disturb the other from his sleep – unwrapped himself and got out of the bed, gesturing for the others to go into the hall.

When Minho had closed the door, Key asked again. “What’s wrong with him?”

Sighing deeply, Minho threaded a hand through his hair and leaned back, his back hitting the wall loudly with a ‘thump.’

Finally, he muttered out, “he’s got cancer.”

The hallway was quiet for a moment. “What type?” It had come from Onew, who was looking at the ground with a grim expression.

Minho shrugged. “Full results are supposed to be in later tonight.”

Before they could talk more, a soft moan came from inside Taemin’s room. Immediately, Minho jumped up from the wall and went into the room.

Entering, Minho saw the small man curled into the fetal position, clutching at his stomach. His brow was pinched, and sweat was forming on his brow.

“Minho,” Key asked, looking at Taemin with worry. Instead of answering, Minho pressed the button on the wall to call for a nurse. In just a few short moments, one of the nurses Minho had seen on his way up to the room entered.

“What seems to be the problem,” she asked cheerfully. Without even needing to say anything, the other four looked pointedly at Taemin.

Nodding in understanding, the nurse went back out, leaving the group in confusion but only for a few short moments, coming back in with two small bottles and a needle. Going straight to the bed, the nurse drew out the liquid from the small bottles with the needle before connecting it to the IV in Taemin’s hand, and shooting it in. Almost immediately, it had effect.

“There,” she said with a smile. “If anything else happens, just push the button again,” and she was gone as soon as she arrived.

“So, what is the doctor going to do,” Onew asked, watching as Minho sat on Taemin’s bed, grasping the small hand in his own.

“Right now, they’re going to observe him overnight and then let him go tomorrow. He wants Taemin to go back to Seoul and go to a Cancer Treatment Center,” Minho answered, playing with the small man’s hair with his free hand.

“How bad is it,” Key asked.

“Thankfully, it’s in the early stages,” Minho let out a grateful sigh. “So, he has a high survival rate.”

The other three nodded, as they watched Taemin stir and then open his eyes. “You’re still here,” he smiled at Minho.

“I told you I wasn’t going leave,” Minho smiled back. Leaning down, Minho gave Taemin’s lips a peck.

“Ahem,” Key cleared his throat. “As good as it is to know I’m not we’re not the only gay couple,” he motioned between him and Jonghyun who smiled slightly, “don’t manhandle my baby.”

“That’s not manhandling,” Jonghyun said this time. “This is!” Abruptly, Jonghyun started tickling Key at his sides, causing the blonde to giggle and go into a fit trying to fight his predator off.

“Cut it out, Dino,” Key said, punching his boyfriend in the stomach. Unsuspecting it, Jonghyun lost the air in his stomach. “Oof! I think I might need to borrow that bed, Taeminnie,” he groaned out, clutching it his stomach.

Taemin was giggling at the couple, when there was a knock at the door. Turning their attention to it, the saw the doctor walk in again.

“Good evening,” the doctor greeted the three new arrivals. Straightening out, Key, Jonghyun, and Onew sat down in the chairs that were scattered around the room.

“We found out the type of cancer you have, Mr. Lee,” he said, getting straight to the point.

Nodding, Taemin motioned him to continue, but gripped at Minho hand tighter.

“It seems that you have Gastric Cancer.”


End file.
